I don't trust the image on the small camera LCD screen.
There should be an option to have the histogram displayed on the LCD screen right after you take a shot, I know my K10D has it, so the K20D should be no different. Turn that on and read the histogram instead of the actual image.
Originally posted by Alex2007 I am shooting in Manual, so to my understanding the metering is bypassed, correct?
Yes and no. The camera will still meter and show the meter reading in the form of the EV bar in the VF display and top LCD, but that is all. YOU get to choose whatever settings you want to take the shot, and you can use that meter reading as a guide or totally ignore it.